Christmas Transforms Into a Nightmare for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates seeing her family during the festive period, but notes one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by relying on her noise-cancelling devices - notably for the main festive feast.
For her, the holidays often feels like a especially challenging season as the sounds of people eating, drinking noisily and breathing heavily cause her extremely uncomfortable.
"I get this sensation of immediate anxiety, my entire being will just tense up and it seems as if I'm in peril, and I need to somehow control these triggers."
The individual has experienced sound sensitivity since she was 16 and for her that renders the holiday period "deeply taxing".
Misophonia is a reduced tolerance to certain sounds, especially noises produced by those around you.
It's surprisingly common amongst adults. A study reported nearly 20% people experience it.
Frequently it's noises linked to mouth, throat or facial movements that cause distress, as well as things like crunching, breathing, and pen clicking.
'Anxiety Inducing'
The sufferer notes: "I face so many assorted problematic noises at the holidays and that can be anxiety inducing and make you fear it.
"My family are understanding, but I'm very mindful that I don't want to upset others. It's like a constant struggle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the supposedly joyous season can transform into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone sipping a beverage, opening presents, or eating the holiday meal can trigger a visceral feeling that can even cause them withdrawing from gatherings.
The student, a young adult, who has experienced misophonia for over a decade, states her strategy is to put her earphones in to manage the meal. Usually, she would usually isolate herself in a quiet area to avoid distressing triggers.
She explains her condition is worse around people she's closest to, so the holidays is always "challenging".
"There's an expectation to spend time with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this intense irritation takes hold, which can feel shameful, or I'll feel stressed and immediately start crying and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"To others it appears as if I'm being difficult and overreacting, but it's hard to explain if you haven't felt it."
Several Strategies to Handle It
For those affected then there are various strategies you can try to cope the situation, based on advice from clinical psychologists.
- Picture an Alternative: Imagination is essential. Try to associate the triggering sound causing distress with an unrelated image. So for example, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. By doing this is to teach your brain that the sound triggering you poses no threat.
- Make it a Game: Have a bit of fun and make the irritating noise into a game involving the source. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. Through participation, instead of feeling like the sound is being imposed on you, you become an willing part. And the competition element should help shift your attention and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Craft a Story: Another technique is to try to create a little story about why the person making the noise is having to make that sound. For example if someone was sniffing, perhaps they're not at their best or could be emotional. By doing this is re-framing the context of the sound. While the noise doesn't change, your understanding of it changes from being aggravating, to feeling a slightly more compassionate towards it.
